At the Defense Exhibition "Army-2024", which took place in the Moscow region, Russia for the first time publicly demonstrated its latest anti-aircraft missile system C-500 "Prometheus". This event has become significant for the military industry and international security, as the C-500 promises to become a powerful means of air defense capable of resisting modern threats, including hypersonic goals.
The characteristics and purpose of the C-500 “Prometheus”
The S-500 SPR is Prometheus is a mobile road system, deployed on the Basa-69096 chassis. The complex is equipped with modern transport and power plants, which allows it to deploy quickly and be ready for work. The main task of the C-500 is to supplement and increase the efficiency of the existing C-400 Triumph complex, providing an additional level of protection against various air threats.
It is known that the C-500 was taken into service in 2021, but its real potential and opportunities remained largely closed to the public to the present moment. The complex is capable of running different types of missiles, which allows it to cope with different threats at different ranges and heights.
The stated technical characteristics
The Russian side states that the C-500 "Prometheus" has impressive characteristics. In particular, the complex is allegedly capable of detecting targets up to 800 km, and the radius of the lesion can reach 600 km. The height of the goals is up to 250 km, which gives the system significant opportunities to protect against both aerodynamic and ballistic purposes.
In addition, the C-500 is equipped with modern electronic warfare (HRS) of the sixth generation that can suppress electronic target equipment, which makes it even more effective in combating modern attacks.
Although Prometheus C-500 is stated as an advanced anti-aircraft complex, it is important to note that its actual capabilities may differ from the stated ones. According to information, the production of the system began in 2002, and many developments of that time were based on the work of Soviet times. This information may hint that although the C-500 can be technically advanced, its real achievements can be less impressive than official data.
Earlier, in mid-June, the head of the GUR Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kirill Budanov stated that Russia brought its latest air defense systems C-500 to the temporarily occupied peninsula of Crimea. This emphasizes the importance of this complex for Russia and its potential threat to regional security.
